Thursday, July 12, 2012

Beach Bums

Oh Yikes!I’ve been a
bad blogger!Apparently vacation mode
changed my routine a bit and I kept forgetting to put all my doings into
words.So today I’m catching up while
embracing the view I have at this table, the sounds of the ocean sneaking
through the screen door, this cup of coffee, and the joys of memories this week
has exposed.I’ve always been a bit of a
toes in the sand beach girl.

Mom had been asking me (with the help of mammaw/papaw Nelson)
to come to the beach with them for awhile, but I of course indecisive and
always worrying about something kept putting off the decision until the day of
departure JWe left in the middle of the night/early
morning to tackle the journey to the beach with Mom, Kelly, Andy, and Myself.It was obvious from the start we missed dad’s
packing skills…We got everything in the van but organization wasn’t a
factor.Dad could pack a house into a van;
it must be a trait he had to acquire having 4 women packing whenever we went
anyplace.

This week has been a
celebration I suppose of caregivers.Mom, Kelly, and Andy have the day to day duties of helping with the care
giving needs for dad.I think through
the struggle of this disease it’s sometimes easy to not fully understand the daily
demands that fall within a caregivers day to day operations and it’s something
I know me as well as others can easily not fully grasp what that actually
takes.So today we’ll honor all the caregivers
JDad has been with a program through Hospice
this week that helps provide a few days for a caregiver within the program to be
able to go on vacation, and I understand just how important it’s been for them
this week.We laughed as it didn’t take but
a few minutes for a nurse helping there to already know who dad was.I can honestly say I’m certain that man has
never met a stranger or been at a place someone didn’t know him.Carter and Sophie have been entertaining papaw
with visits with Tara and Troy, and we get updates from Becki, Gary, Denny, Kay,
Mammaw & Pappaw Nelson sneaking in for some visits.We’ve been giving dad all the updates of this
week’s activities including of course the most important….were we’ve eaten for
his interest.I told dad yesterday we
are lucky we are allowed back into any of the “All you can Eat Buffett” restaurants,
they’ve either put us on the “not allowed list” or dad has probably already put
them out of businessJ

Kelly, Mom, Me

We grew up coming to Nags Head, NC as kids and as a
family.Maybe that’s why it’s always
been a favorite of mine due to the memories.This week has been full of reminiscing and laughs of the stories we’ve
had here.It’s been I suppose what they
call “good medicine” for the situation we are all in battling this disease that
can stem bitterness.Every day on my
runs here…I think about my runs here with dad.We aren’t staying in the same place many of those runs took place, but
the smell of the ocean reminds me of me begging in my own head…”Please dad…make
that turn movement where it means you are ready to turn around and I can turn
around too” …or when upon turn around the back of the Ben Franklin store means
we are finally almost back to the condo.J

It has been nice to switch up my running routine, some runs
in the morning and new scenery, but most of all, and the sounds of the ocean JSince I am due for a long training update I
better get to it:

July 4th (Wednesday)-
HOT…. Oh wait that was the story of that week JI did the usual road run just checking in on
a few of the neighbors making sure everyone’s power was back on and alright JRan about 40 minutes.

July 5th
(Thursday)-Today was a fun
run!Went to the Arts and Crafts Fair and
got to meet up with Steven Nutter who was working a booth there with his dad
and we planned on a run after close of the fair.We ran out through Cedar Lakes with one of
his cross country runners for about 50 minutes with some up & down hills.It was a nice pace with lots of remember when
laughs including telling his runner how old we were getting compared to high
school pace days JThen it was nice to talk to Randy and catch
up with them as they were a 2nd family to us growing up.

July 6th
(Friday)- It was an off day (the training log told me to) J

July 7th
(Saturday)- WELCOME TO THE BEACH!!!!Ahhh the sun and the sound and the waves of ocean… and heat…don’t forget
the heat JRan about 45 minutes checking out the new neighborhood
and our neighbors for the week.

July 8th
(Sunday)- Ran about 40 minutes going the other direction today to see
everything new there was to see.

July 9th
(Monday)- Rain Rain go away JRan just 20 minutes today…wanted to do
something…but I think the laziness of the day started to sneak up on me.

July 10th
(Tuesday)- The workout said Hill Repeats or 40-45 easy run….seeing as
my scenery doesn’t present a hill option I supposed I would embrace the 40
minute run today JIt wasn’t as hot and a little bit easier to breathe
without so much of the humidity today.

July 11th
(Wednesday)- Ran 36 minutes….it was going to be 40 but apparently I ran
back faster and even tried to loop around to add a few minutes.

Dad would always tease about running so he can eat whatever
he wanted…but especially on vacation week and I’ve found myself thinking that a
lot this week just for laughs.Everytime
someone asks where we are eating tomorrow we all start laughing.This week has been good for the sole….I think
for more reasons than I can find the words to describe.

The view from one of our Favorite Resturants Growing up: Fishermans Wharf

I hate to leave…but this view now has the sun
sneaking through the rainy clouds we’ve had and I’m not certain my attention
will last much longer while I see a great spot to sit my chair for the day JI’ve got
a new notebook to work on for a list of to do’s and planning for the next step
in our Team Spangler for Team Fox….so many of these memories give more reasons
to continue this battle for a cure.I’d
give anything to have our dad here with us eating all he can eat…and knowing he’d
want to go fishing off the Piers I’ve found myself running by every day.

About Me

I am a daughter of 3 girls...yes "THE MIDDLE" one :) We are all working on this together to honor our father who was diagnosed with Parkinson's and has had a very progressive battle with it. We also do this to honor our mother who has been a supportive caregiver during this difficult time. We are from a small community in Ritchie County, WV where my dad has been a devoted dad, teacher, and coach to hundreds of students and athletes. We seek to share his story and give back to Michael J Fox’s Parkinson’s Foundation as part of Team Fox…because you can accomplish more in life as a Team and we’ve all come together to be a member of my dad’s team.